Telangana Revives Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme Modernisation

The Telangana Government has renewed efforts to modernise the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), a long-pending irrigation project that has remained stalled for nearly two decades. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reviewed the project with Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior officials, focusing on measures to ensure Telangana receives its allocated share of water. Although the Bachawat Tribunal allocated 17.1 TMC of water to the scheme, including 15.9 TMC for the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district, the state has been able to utilise only about 5 TMC annually due to upstream overuse, canal damage and unauthorised water diversion.

The government is now planning to hold discussions with Karnataka to complete the pending modernisation works and address issues affecting water utilisation. Modernisation proposals were initiated in 2004, but several works remained incomplete because of interstate disputes and objections. Telangana is also seeking to prevent hurdles from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh while pursuing infrastructure upgrades and ensuring effective implementation of the project. Officials believe that completing the modernisation will improve irrigation, stabilise ayacut and help the state fully utilise its allocated water resources.